Attendance:50,152, including Mike Ashley wearing his
Smith 17 Toon shirt again. Fair
play to the big man, on what was quite a parky day. How long it is
before Mike dons the long-sleeved version of the shirt will be interesting....

Goals

42 mins
Alan Smith inexplicably elected not to shoot when well placed in the Everton box after being
put in by Charles N'Zogbia. Smith's attempt to find Obafemi Martins was blocked, but the ball broke to
Nicky Butt, who
shrugged off an opponent before curling a fabulous effort into the top right
hand corner of the Leazes net. 1-0

Half time: Newcastle 1 Everton 0

53 mins Former
Toon target Baines outpaced Habib Beye and sent over a low
ball for Johnson to get ahead of Jose Enrique and force over the line from close
range. 1-1

86 mins Owen's half-cleared
cross dropped for Emre outside the area and the Turk lashed an unstoppable
grass cutter into the bottom corner of the net before embarking on lavish
celebrations with fans and colleagues.
2-1

90 mins Almost before Everton had regrouped Emre was at it again and his swooping
free kick from the left flank was converted by Michael Owen. TV replays showed
that he actually missed with an attempted header, but saw the ball glance in off his shoulder.
3-1

92 mins The
few away fans still in their places celebrated as Arteta's cross
deflected off Smith, deceiving Shay Given as it dropped down, ending up in the net via
the 'keeper's hand.
3-2

Full time: Newcastle 3 Everton 2

We
Said

Sam
said:

"As a manager you take credit for your substitutions and I
will there.

"It was a double header for me with Emre scoring with a great goal low in the
corner and Michael Owen with a terrific header, so our home form gets ever
stronger.

"If we keep that home record, while at the same time improving on our away form,
we will keep moving up the table.

"We were our own worst enemies after half-time having completely controlled the
first period. We had so many chances in the first half and wasted them all, but
we are happy to have won it, although it went right to the end."

Michael Owen added:

"I think coming back in eight days to play for my club shows a bit of
determination.

"I've worked hard over the past week and it's good to play a game eight days
after surgery.

"It's feeling good and I'm available for both teams. It's not as if I'm pushing
myself just to play for England.

"I'm fine. I'm playing without pain and will only get better. It's only a minor
thing and I've still got all the stitches in. I've put in a lot of hard work and
I was actually disappointed not to start.

"And she (surgeon Ulrike Muschaweck)
said to push it as hard as I wanted -
nothing can break down. I'm stronger than I was before the operation. It's just
a question of managing the discomfort.

"Playing against Derby I felt it pretty badly and in the following game as well.
I've been pushing myself through a lot of pain for the last month or six weeks
now.

"But I'm feeling better for it already - I can go on the pitch now and not feel
any pain.

"We've put in a decent performance. We haven't been putting in great
performances, but with this crowd behind you anything's possible so it's nice to
get three points today.

"However, we need to play better away and pick up more points away from home."

They
Said

David Moyes bleated:

"We've conceded five goals in our last two games and that is rubbish. The
goals we conceded here were rubbish.

"We had numerous opportunities to clear for the second goal and I think we
could have done better for the third. We certainly had enough players around
to stop them scoring.

"There was no tiredness after our Uefa Cup tie in the Ukraine. It was more
down to our bad play."

Stats

Before
Emre and Michael Owen found the net today, the only previous
instance of two Newcastle substitutes scoring in one game we can find is
during the 4-1 victory away at the mackems
in April 2006, when Michael Chopra and Albert Luque came off the bench
to notch.

Everton have now lost the last six Premiership games they've played
immediately after being involved in a midweek European fixture.

Waffle

It often feels like we've made a pre-season pact with
Everton to allow each other a victory on home soil. Obviously that's not
always the case, they've sneaked the odd win at St. James' and we've had one
or two wins at Goodison Park.

To be honest, it was a deal I'd have happily entered into as
kick-off approached. To me a win today seemed as vital as a defeat would have
been critical - it was certainly an important day for Sam's new side.

A defeat to another outfit, who like Manchester City must be
seen as realistic rivals, especially at home, might have been a hammer-blow to
our season, coming on the back of the defeats at Eastlands and the Emirates.

However, a victory over an in-form Everton would halt the
slide and send us into the international break with renewed optimism.
Thankfully it was the latter.

Late goals from substitute duo Emre and Michael Owen helped
us to a victory that had looked a tad unlikely after Everton's own
replacement Andy Johnson had levelled early in the second half.

Nicky Butt's first competitive Newcastle goal at SJP had given us a half
time lead on a day when Sam Allardyce handed first Premiership starts to
Faye and Enrique.

That and the injury to Viduka allowed Smith to revert to a more orthodox
forward role, while N'Zogbia moved from defence into midfield.

Cacapa returned from injury while new father Rozehnal dropped down to the
bench, alongside fit-again Owen and Emre.

Having got off to a great start in our last home game when Viduka netted,
Oba Martins homed in clear on goal in the opening stages of this one, only
to screw his shot badly wide. Some journalists commented that they thought
Martins looked a certain scorer, some of us thought he was sure to miss.

We continued to force the pace without causing Tim Howard too many problems,
with his own man Carsley coming as close as anyone when diverting Geremi's
low centre inches past the upright.

The opening goal arrived just before the interval, Smith electing not to
shoot when well placed in the Everton box after good work from N'Zogbia.

His attempt to find Martins was blocked, but the ball broke to Butt, who
shrugged off an opponent before curling a fabulous effort into the top right
hand corner of the Leazes net for only his third goal in our colours.

The visitors attacked at pace after the interval and soon had their reward
when former Toon target Baines outpaced Beye and sent over a skidding low
ball for Johnson to get ahead of Enrique and force over the line from close
range.

For a while after that Everton seemed to fancy further goals and caused a
few anxious moments in our defence.

The introduction of Emre and Owen from the bench wasn't without incident,
with Geremi sprinting across the field in response to the raising of "20"
number board - only to then realise it was for an opposition replacement.

Martins then left the field to a mixed reception which was either booing of
him, booing of Owen (certainly some of that from the away fans) or booing of
Allardyce for the decision to leave Smith on the field. Take your pick. Some even
thought it was booing of Emre from the away fans after last season's racial abuse allegations,
although the boos accompanied Martins' departure. Certainly there seemed to be
more cheers than jeers for Owen as he ran on.

Emre tried to make an immediate impression on the game by taking Owen's flick and
driving into the box only to fall under challenge - although penalty shouts
seemed grossly optimistic.

Owen then saw his shot turned away by Howard and from the resultant corner
the unmarked Butt got underneath the cross but could only head over the
crossbar.

Salvation wasn't long in coming though for United, as Owen's half-cleared
cross dropped for Emre outside the area and the Turk lashed an unstoppable
grass cutter into the bottom corner of the net before embarking on lavish
celebrations with fans and colleagues.

Almost before Everton had regrouped Emre was at it again and his swooping
free kick from the left flank was converted by Owen - who TV replays showed
actually missed his header but saw the ball glance in off his shoulder.

The TV re-runs also showed Lescott appearing to play Owen
onside however, from my seat bang in line I thought he was marginally off. He
tried to get onside as the kick was taken but couldn't get past his defender
and then saw the ball was on its way to him.

His celebration was uncharacteristically stony-faced and his
initial cupped-ear gesture looked to be a reaction to the boos which he may
have misinterpreted and also the voicings of suspicion that he had recovered
from injury in time to play for England.

It was Owen's third goal of the season in our colours - all of which have
come at the Gallowgate End.

There was still time for the Moyes boys to somehow score another, the few
away fans still in their places celebrating as Arteta's deflected cross
deceived Given as it dropped down and ended up in the net via his hand.

In Sheareresque style though we saw out the remaining seconds as N'Zogbia
took the ball into the Strawberry corner and ran the clock down
successfully.

A game slightly flattered by the scoreline then, in a contest that certainly
didn't deserve five goals, including two stunners, an own goal and three
scored by subs within minutes of their arrival on the pitch.

But three goals in the last few minutes are always to be
enjoyed, if only as another two-fingers up to the early-leavers.

Make no mistake, this was a vital victory and if we can get
Michael Owen back from his England exploits in one piece then the next four
Premiership fixtures all look winnable. Having said that, we're certainly just
as capable of losing them all, although defeats at relegation-threatened
Reading and the mackems would certainly unravel our season spectacularly.

It's been a two steps forward, one step backwards sort of a
season so far but there are definitely signs of encouragement to make the
disappointments just about bearable.